Swimming pools have become increasingly popular and mainstream as the cost associated with installing and maintaining pools has decreased. With that increasing popularity the biggest decision becomes whether to choose an above ground or below ground pool. Many people prefer in-ground pools, but the ease to installation and maintain, increased safety, and lower costs of above ground pools often seems like a better choice. Since they are above ground level, the majority of surface debris cannot find its way into the pool making above ground pools easier to keep clean. Although above ground pools are susceptible to falling debris and still require covering during the non-pool seasons.
Above ground pool owners who live in areas that require that they leave them covered during the winter months know all too well of the burdens and hassles associated with pool cover maintenance. Several attempts have been made in the past to provide a means of covering a pool including several U.S. patents, including; U.S. Pat. No. 3,453,666, issued in the name of Hedges, which describes a solar thermal blanket; U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,427, issued in the name of Burkholz et al., which describes an outdoor swimming pool with dome; U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,561, issued in the name of Barr, which describes a floating cover capable of partially or fully covering swimming pools; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,652, issued in the name of Furr, which describes a swimming pool winterizing method and apparatus. U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,072, issued in the name of Aine, describes a swimming pool cover comprising an insulated buoyant cover for a pool having an inflatable bladder that rests on the water surface and tethered weights to retain the cover in a fully covered position. U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,413, issued in the name of Bussey, Jr. et al., describes a pool cover comprising a multi-layer construction that rests on the water surface of the pool and a roller for deployment and retraction of the cover.
Typically, these covers are anchored around the pool perimeter and supported in the pool surface itself or on balloon like floats. The floating supports tend to either deflate or move about resulting in sagging portions that collect leaves, water, and other debris. As a result, the pool owner must regularly adjust the cover, re-position and inflate the floats, and tighten the perimeter anchoring. The cover can also become damaged and torn due to stress created by the collected water and debris. The cover may then need to be replaced prematurely and at a considerable additional cost. Finally, such pockets of trapped water pose a drowning hazard to children or pets. One (1) solution to these problems has been to provide an arched or dome shaped cover for swimming pools. These solutions suffer from various disadvantages including; requiring a constant projection of air to maintain a domed structure, utilizing a framework structure that has to be assembled and disassembled each season, or combining an inflation means to the pool cover that can require replacement of the entire assembly if the cover is damaged.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,048,678, issued in the name of Chillino, describes an inflatable cover for a swimming pool comprising a solid material that extends over the entire pool in a dome-like configuration, a skirt which engages the inner walls of the pool, and extended end portions that rest on the deck of the pool and receive water bags to hold the cover in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,676,880, issued in the name of Kwake, describes an inflatable enclosure for swimming pools and the like comprising an enclosure for swimming pools that can be inflated by a blowing means to a domed position. When the enclosure is inflated a non-zipper entry allows a person to enter the enclosure which acts a crowned cover to shield rain or dirt.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,479, issued in the name of Bonneau, describes an inflatable swimming pool cover comprising a sheet cover adapted to become arched when air pressure is projected under the cover via an air blower.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives, each of these references suffers from one (1) or more of the aforementioned disadvantages. Accordingly, the need has developed for a pool covering method that solves the problems associated with conventional methods. The development of the present invention substantially departs from the conventional solutions and in doing so fulfills this need.